Shanimal's House of Hades Review
by Shanimalx
Summary: After finishing the House of Hades, by Rick Riordan, I've decided to post all my feels about it. Which is a lot. Rated T for some frustrated fangirling. You know the deal. Feel free to send me your own thoughts as a review or a PM. I plan on re-reading HOH, so I will update if I have any new thoughts. Shanimal


**_House of Hades_:** Shanimal's thinks/feels

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First off, I want to congratulate Rick Riordan for writing another wonderful book, but mostly making us suffer so much after the ending of _Mark of Athena_, then having the nerve to make fun of us for it in the dedication. (If you haven't seen it yet, I encourage you to do so.)

Secondly, I'd like to state now that everything in this review is entirely my opinion, and any hate I receive will be ignored and discarded. By all means, message me to tell me your varying opinions, I'd love to talk to you about it, but I don't need people telling me my opinions are wrong. You don't have to read this if you don't want to, so don't complain, either.

And thirdly, I don't even think I should have to say this, but this review is **_NOT SPOILER-FREE. I REPEAT. THERE ARE SPOILERS FROM HOUSE OF HADES IN THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPHS. CONTINUE AT YOUR OWN RISK. _**And lord knows this book was full of feels, so I do curse once or twice. Nothing too serious though. Just a precaution.**_  
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Now onto the good partsss :3

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I was quite pleasantly surprised when I found there was no clear pattern to the narrators in this book. The other three books all had a continuous pattern of POV changes cycling through 3-4 characters, but House of Hades was completely random. I kind of liked it though, because it gave us more insight as to what EVERYONE was thinking, as opposed to hearing about it from others' perspectives.

Piper was only given one series of chapters, but I feel like she should have gotten more. Her whole section was about the fact that she felt "useless" and such, but with nothing really important happening that involved her, I kind of think that that's the kind of character she's developing into. I hope she's got a bigger part in the series than just being responsible for freeing Juno.

My next thought process is the prophecy, mainly the second and third lines. There's been a lot of speculation that "storm" could be referring to Jason or Percy, and "fire" to Frank or Leo, but the whole deal about "world" meaning "Gaea", I'm starting to think that "storm or fire" could be not so obvious either. "Storm" could mean "under siege", as in the Greeks and the Romans charging Gaea and the giants together. "Fire" could mean under fire from bombs or something. I don't know, I could be over thinking this whole thing. . .

And then there's the whole "oath to keep with final breath" section that everyone was worrying about in Mark of Athena. I truly and honestly believe that this has something to do with either Leo or Percy.

As much as I'd hate my OTP to sink, I think it might be referring to Percy's promise to stay with Annabeth forever. I mean, he has been seriously thinking about marrying/having kids with Annabeth, and it would be just like Rick to split them up (again). Juno talked about there being a time where Percy would have to make a sacrifice that he wouldn't actually be willing/able to make, and I don't think that's happened yet. Let's face it, Percy cares for Annabeth more than anything in the world, so if there's anything he'd hate to sacrifice, it'd be her. Yet it may also be referring to another of the seven, because they seem to be getting very close to one another in the book. Again, part of the storm/fire thing, Percy may be unwilling to let any of the seven die and therefore fulfills the "storm" part.

It's either that, or Leo is lost/died trying to recover Calypso. He said it himself that he is coming back for her, and I really actually believe that he will, but it won't be a safe trip (though I earnestly hope that it is.) Nemesis mentioned a price for her help fixing the Archimedean sphere, and like Percy's sacrifice, I don't think he's paid it yet.

This can segue into the fact that someone in the seven is going to die. Someone is not going to survive the fight with Gaea, but I love everyone so much omg I don't want it be anyone D:

On a happier note, the Percabeth moments killed me. Percy's sarcastic smart-alecy comments and Annabeth's witty retorts, IN THE DEPTHS OF TARTARUS. If they weren't anyone's OTP at the start of the series, they sure ought to be now. These cuties are amazing together and will defend each other until they die, and they are just so in love it hurts. They actually said I love you in this book oh my god and in Mark of Athena it was just "a possible future for them", but now Percy's legitimately positive that he wants kids with Annabeth. Meaning he will propose to her. And they will get married (like how could Annabeth not say yes to Seaweed Brain). And he will want to have sex with her (lol). Oh my feels.

Similarly, Caleo is canon! When the first few books came out, I mentioned to my friend that I thought they'd make a cute couple (either that or Leo and Reyna) but we both dismissed the ship because of the fact that Calypso had mentioned to Percy that she only gets a visitor every thousand years or so. But time is hard to tell on Ogygia, so perhaps it only feels like thousands of years to her? I'd actually opened the book at random and saw her name under Leo's chapter name and I totally freaked. I couldn't wait to read that part, and Oh My Gods it was perfect. It was like Percabeth - fighting and enemies at first, but then they slowly learn to like/love each other until gahh and Leo was totally in denial the whole time because he thought he wasn't good enough, but SHE LOVES YOU OKAY? YOU WILL ALWAYS BE GOOD ENOUGH. YOU ALWAYS WERE. YOU DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO MAKE THE FIRST MOVE SeH FRICK ENkISS ED Y OU BUT H WY DO YOU HAVE OT SuFFER.

FUCK THAT PART WAS SO PERFECT I CRIED/DIED.

Moving on.

Another big development - Nico loves Percy! I'd always seen Perico crack fics and I'd be all "eww?" but wow, it's canon. Congrats guys. I'm still not totally comfortable with the idea though. Don't get me wrong, I'm totally in favor of LGBT rights, hell, I WILL SHIP JOHNLOCK TO MY GRAVE, but something is just so unsettling about this. I've heard people complain about it, but give the guy a break! Rick made a bold move writing that into a children's book, and I completely respect him for that. Nico always had trouble fitting in, and this just heightens that character trait.

I think part of the reason I feel so unsure about this whole fiasco may be because of the second-hand emotions that this part of the book elicits. I can understand how Nico feels, not from personal experience, but from how Rick portrayed it. Being in love with someone and not being able to tell them, not because you're shy, or even because he's already in a relationship, but because of your contrasting sexualities. Imagine the frustration he must feel. shit man.

He seriously looked up to Percy. He was a TRUE hero to Nico because he had saved his life several times when better judgment was against him. He idolized Percy, but he was too scared of being rejected further to say anything about it. Children of Hades have always been forced into the corner, so Nico thinks that's the safest place for him. If he doesn't come out, he won't have to face the pain of being forced back in. All he needs to do is take his own advice. "You deserve a second chance." (To Hazel, because I'm positive the others would accept him like Jason has if he only took the chance) and "Fight back before Olympus is gone." (To his father, because he has been given numerous opportunities to make friends, but he just doesn't take them. Before he knows it, these opportunities will be gone and he will regret not taking them). If he wants to be accepted and liked, who better to start with than the seven most powerful demigods of the generation?

I also applaud Jason for being totally okay with it and trying to comfort him about it. Nico obviously needs someone to make him feel not so alone, and Jason is willing to be that person. . .Jason, I think you're starting to become one of my favorite characters. Remember how much Jason hated the fact that Nico was going with him alone? Look how much he's changed in so little time. 3

Although, what Cupid said to Jason about not being sure that he's found true love made me think. Call me crazy, but I think I'd be okay with Nico/Jason (Jaco? Nison?) as a ship. If not, I will totally ship their bromance. I just wish Nico would accept him as a friend.

Speaking of friendships, I completely and entirely adore how tight the seven are growing. Percy and Jason bear hugging after he got out of Tartarus, Leo and Hazel acting so cool around each other, LEO MAKING A FIRE-PROOF BAG For fRANK OMg, Piper/Hazel/Annabeth girl power, Jason sticking up for Nico, Nico totes loving his sister, Frank covering for Coach Hedge (OMG I TOTALLY CALLED THAT MELLIE WAS PREGNANT HE'S GOING TO BE A DAD HE'S GOING TO SEE HIS BABY I mean he's totally going to get this baby to New York.), Bob coming to help Percy, Reyna traveling across the Atlantic alone to bring the Athena Parthenos statue back and sooo much more I'm sure I forgetting.

I'm so glad Reyna is on their side though. I'd always loved the idea of Reyna and Annabeth becoming good friends, so I'm really happy she took Annabeth's letter from Tartarus seriously. (Plus Rachel had a cameo! We haven't seen her since Lost Hero!) I hope Reyna (or Nico) has at least one group of chapters in the last book so we can follow their progress back to New York.

I'm also really excited about all the changes that the seven have gone through. I like the fact that when a demigod proves him/herself, his/her godly parent shows up in merged Greek/Roman forms. I think that's going to be very important later on for defeating the giants.

I'm very proud of Frank's transformation. Leo's gift in part with his puberty transformation have made him physically the person he's always been hoping to be. He got fed up of looking and acting like a baby, and even though he was suffering and struggling inside, he did something about and now people will take him seriously. He finally understands what it means to be a son of Mars, and I'm proud of him that he's not afraid to hide it anymore.

I also like how Jason is softening up to be half Greek half Roman. It's like he's a physical embodiment of the unity that the two camps need to find to fight Gaea. The Greek aspects complete his character and it's really great how he want(ed) to use some of the Greek culture he learned in Camp Half-Blood to improve New Rome and Camp Jupiter. I've always been drawn to both of the camps equally (like I can't decide if my godly parent is Greek or Roman) so now I can pull a Jason and say I like both xD.

It's also very interesting how Hazel and Piper have changed. I've noticed how they both learned the same thing: you have to show/tell them what they to see/do. They've taken a passive approach to their magic and charmspeaking abilities. I think this will also be very important for defeating Gaea and the giants, whose attacks have always been very direct. I'd love to see how they work together with Annabeth, who's famous for manipulating enemies into their demises by just talking to them. MORE GIRL POWER.

They're all maturing so well and becoming such a good team uhg its amazing. They're so different from who they were at the beginning of the series. Can you say _CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT_?!

Something else I found interesting (kind of connected to the "passive powers" point I made) is the books theme of good versus evil. This is mainly shown through Bob, who remembers his past as a titan by spending time in Tartarus, but choses to help Percy and Annabeth anyways. FUCK, HE GAVE HIS LIFE TO BRING DOWN THE LORD TARTARUS HIMSELF. (I hope to Hades that when he's reborn (_if_ he is) he's stays Bob and doesn't go back to being Iapetus the meanie.)

I can't help but feel like this has something to do with the fight with Gaea too. It may turn into a whole big "Avatar: the Last Airbender" thing (like instead of killing them (that makes you no better than them), simply take away their abilities to hurt people), and if it did I wouldn't be totally against it. It's a really good moral to teach children (but these books can be fairly classified as not-for-children), and it's what made Avatar: the Last Airbender so popular in the end.

I really like how Rick brought a lot of older stuff back into the story in this book, like Calypso, and Bob, and Percy and Annabeth thinking about their past in Not-Tartarus. It's the little things that makes me happy and enjoy the book. Like Small Bob, one of the cats from the Titan's Curse. And confirmation that TYSELLA IS CANON (such sweetheartsssss), and that RIPTIDE CAN BE AN ACTUAL PEN, and that it writes in a Celestial bronze color. My friend and I were playing around with the idea that Percy should have one of those click-y pens that can write in different colors, but instead of different colors, it could be different weapons, like Jason's lance/sword coin. LIKE HOW COOL WOULD IT BE IF PERCY HAD A TRIDENT. so cool man. so cool.

Overall, I think this may be my favorite book yet. (In the Heroes of Olympus. Nothing can change my mind about Battle of the Labyrinth being my Favorite in Percy Jackson and the Olympians.) Thank you for reaching the end and taking time out of your day to read my opinions. I'd love to read the House of Hades again sometime soon, so I'll update this "story" if I have any new thoughts on the book. Let me know your thoughts as well by leaving me a review or PM!

_~Shanimal_


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